Running Around The Net

Lactate Threshold Training

One of the primary means to improve your running performance is to improve your lactate threshold. Your lactate threshold refers to your ability to tolerate a constant level of lactic acid in your muscles without hindering your running performance. To improve your running performance requires that you be able to work increasingly close to your maximum oxygen consumption without suffering from high accumulations of lactic acid in the blood. Since our body does not perform optimally when overcome by the crippling forces of lactic acid, the ability to halt blood-lactate accumulation at swifter paces is the primary determinant of success at the distance races, but is also very important in the middle distances. One of the primary means to improve our lactate threshold is to complete threshold training.

There are various forms of threshold training, but they all share the similar goal of maintaining a constant blood-lactate level, giving our body the experience of dealing with blood-lactate accumulation and learning to clear this lactic acid from our muscles at quicker rates. The two main forms of threshold training are tempo runs and threshold intervals. Tempo running refers to a steady run of a prolonged duration. One of most common types of tempo runs is a steady 15 to 25 minute run on relatively flat terrain and with good footing to maintain a consistent level of effort. Hills, uneven footing, and adverse weather conditions will all interfere with the goal of threshold training, maintaining a constant blood-lactate level, so try to avoid these conditions as much as possible. One of the biggest challenges for runners attempting threshold training is maintaining the proper pace, resisting the temptation to make each tempo run a time trial where you try to improve upon your time from the week before. Instead, focus on monitoring how much easier you can perform the threshold workout each week, and when you are comfortable at a certain intensity for a few weeks, then you can consider increasing the intensity slightly.